FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University department of athletics welcomed USA Today sports columnist Christine Brennan as the guest speaker at the annual Girls and Women in Sports Day Luncheon on Wednesday, Feb. 2 at noon in the NSU Arena at the Don Taft University Center.

Brennan served as the keynote speaker for the luncheon. She spoke to over 250 female student athletes about why its important to keep striving for more in the world of athletics. She described the sports landscape for women 40 years ago and discussed how Title IX has changed the country. NSU director of athletics Michael Mominey honored Brennan with the Pioneer Award for her accomplishments and dedication to sports.

NSU softball’s Sara DeMuth was presented the Flo Hyman award, which is given to a female student-athlete who captures former volleyball great, Flo Hyman's dignity, spirit and commitment to excellence. It honors the athlete who recognizes the far-reaching benefits of sports and who is determined to share these values with others. Major consideration is given to athletes who give time and energy so that there are greater sports opportunities for all girls and women.

Brennan is an award-winning sports columnist for USA Today, an ABC News and ESPN commentator, an NPR Morning Edition contributor, a best-selling author and a nationally-known speaker. Twice named one of the country's top 10 sports columnists by the Associated Press Sports Editors, she has covered 13 consecutive Olympic Games, summer and winter.

Brennan was the first woman sports writer at the Miami Herald in 1981 and the first woman to cover the Washington Redskins as a staff writer at the Washington Post in 1985. She was the first president of the Association for Women in Sports Media and started an internship-scholarship program that now honors nine female students annually.

She is the author of seven books. Her 2006 sports memoir, Best Seat in the House, was the first father-daughter memoir written by a sports writer. Her 1996 best-seller, Inside Edge, was named one of the top-100 sports books of all-time by Sports Illustrated.

Brennan broke the news of the pairs figure skating scandal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Her USA Today column in April 2002 on Augusta National Golf Club triggered the debate on the club's lack of female members. In December 2002, Sports Illustrated's Golf Plus section named her one of golf's 12 heroes of the year.

Among Brennan's honors, she was named the 1993 Capital Press Women's "Woman of Achievement;" named the University of North Carolina's 2002 Reed Sarratt Distinguished Lecturer; won the 2003 Jake Wade Award from the College Sports Information Directors of America; was named Woman of the Year by WISE (Women in Sports and Events) in 2005; received the inaugural Women's Sports Foundation Billie Award for journalism in 2006; won Chi Omega's 2006 Woman of Achievement Award, and won Northwestern University's Alumni Service Award in 2007.



Chrissy Hy- Women’s Soccer
A senior on the women’s soccer team, Hy has been involved in a variety of activities in the South Florida community. She has served as a volunteer at St. David’s Church as a mentor for children. She also coaches at numerous camps and clinics. Additionally, she serves as a volunteer at nonprofit charities. An exercise and sports science major, she serves as a peer counselor for the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences. She is a member of two distinguished honor societies, including DEI and Beta Beta Beta and also maintains a 3.63 GPA.


Sara DeMuth- Softball
Senior pitcher, DeMuth, has devoted many hours to the educational and social development of at-risk 5th-grade girls. She volunteered her time tutoring and mentoring at the Augusta State University Literacy Center. She also worked a Christmas Festival where she helped children write letters to Santa. DeMuth has volunteered her time at PetCo with Animal Aid Cat Adoptions where she helped care for the cats until they were adopted. She has volunteered at the Special Olympics Basketball Tournament and A Day for Children at NSU. Additionally, Sara helps coach and mentor the Deerfield Beach Sharks, a 12-&-under travel softball team. A biology major, she maintains a 3.8 GPA. When she’s not studying or competing, she is continuously looking for opportunities, whether they’re softball related or not, to volunteer her time and energy to important causes in the community and in her sport.

Claudia Wolf- Women’s Golf
A senior on the women’s golf team, Wolf has mentored a group on junior golfers every summer for four years in her home country of Austria. She taught the juniors about the game of golf and coached them in tournaments. She was also a volunteer ski instructor for junior skiers. She has volunteered in a variety of community service events including Convoy of Hope, where she helped distribute groceries to those in need and provided health education. Claudia is a representative on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and was on the 2011 National Championship team. She is currently pursuing her Master’s of Business Administration degree at the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship. Throughout her collegiate career, Claudia has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in the classroom, on the course, and in her community, as she currently holds a 3.96 GPA. A transfer student from the University of South Alabama, she was a two-time Academic All-American and graduated summa cum laude with a 3.96 GPA.

Rebecca Urrutia- Women’s Track & Field
A sophomore on the track team, Urrutia has multi-tasked her time to help others. She has invested in volunteering in youth activities within her community, particularly in the church, encouraging and educating kids on the importance of achieving their goals. Using herself and others as an example, she identifies the pros and cons from her experiences and uses them as a motivational tool. Additionally, she spends extra time, if needed, to further assist those in need of more guidance. Her attitude is outstanding and her willingness to impact others is evident where ever she is present.

Ewa Jamborska- Women’s Swimming and Diving
Jamborska has been an asset to the Nova Southeastern women’s swimming and diving program. Jamborska exhibits leadership qualities not only in the pool, but also in her academic life and her personal life. Her involvement in the His House Children Home, a Miami based orphanage, is only one recent example of her generosity to help others in need. Jamborska collected clothing and toys in 2010 for the children of the orphanage and collected over $200 in gift cards for the 2011 holiday season. Jamborska has also volunteered her time at the 2011 Ironman triathlon by handing out water and snacks to the elite athletes. Jamborska also spends her time with the Nova Southeastern Phonathon Alumni Association collecting donations from NSU alumni. Jamborska brings a high energy spirit to the team and as captain, has been a leader for her teammates. She is on track to graduate with above a 3.5 GPA as she earned a 3.95 for the fall 2011 semester.

Lauren Boudreau- Women’s Rowing
A junior on the women’s rowing team, Boudreau has served as team captain since her sophomore year. She was recently elected as the president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for the Spring of 2012, as she is looking forward to prioritizing efforts to build closer relationships between the teams and the individual student-athletes within the athletic department. An Upstate New York native, she often returns home to volunteer at regattas. She also assists aspiring athletes as they prepare to navigate the college recruiting process. Boudreau has inspired her teammates to partake in the Make-A-Wish project. As SAAC President, she hopes to lead the NSU Make-A-Wish contribution efforts ahead of the SSC schools. Additionally, she volunteers with fundraising efforts for the Saint Peter’s Hospital Foundation in New York. A biology major, she maintains a 3.6 GPA, often dedicating extra time to helping her teammates and classmates.

Kelly McMahon- Women’s Volleyball
A junior defensive specialist on the Sharks volleyball team, McMahon is the spirit of the team and exemplifies the definition of hard work, perseverance and commitment. In the classroom, she is among the top academically, as a double major in marine biology and biology. While at NSU, she has been member of the honors program. She is currently a member of Alpha PI- The National Honors Society, RHO RHO RHO- The Honors Society for Marine Biology and a member of Student- Athlete Advisory Committee whiling maintaining above a 3.75 GPA. She is also actively involved in the wonderful quality of giving. In 2010, she took mission trips to the Bahamas and Mississippi where she helped communities through various projects. She also volunteered at Joe DiMaggio’s Children Hospital spending time providing arts and crafts with other members of the NSU volleyball team. In the summer, she works for Play Ball, which is a children’s summer camp that teaches the fundamentals of sports to young kids.

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